Comments
(None yet)

Electronically Translated Text

The most important item m the months news is that relating to the unfortunate break-up of the parties employed in the con struction of the Northern Territory sections

or the Uverland xeiegrapn. it will oe re membered that Messrs. Darwent & Dalwood last year entered into a contract with the Government to erect 500 miles of the line extending from Port Darwin southward. The first information to hand respecting the work represented that it was being diligently prosecuted, and that 90 miles of poles had been erected. The next, bronght by the last mail from Galle, stated that about 120 miles had been completed, and about 90 miles more poled. The latest, brought to Port Adelaide by the Gulnare on July 8, was to the effect that the contract had been annulled by Mr. 'William McMinn, the Government Overseer, on the ground that it was not being properly proceeded with. This is the first serious miscarriage that has befallen Mr. Todd's well-organized schemes. Wherever the chief blame of this unfortunate occurrence may rest', the fact remains that the party is com pletely broken up, the Gulnare bringing back to Adelaide most of the men who should be actively at work pushing the line forward, and it is clear that a heavy respon sibility rests with some one. One lot of men under Mr. Burton, Mr. McMinn's second in command, is still in the Territory, attending to minor matters in connection with the undertaking, but comparatively little progress is being made with the under* taking itself. There are many questions connected with the break-up of the Northern Territory Telegraph construction party which will no doubt become subjects for close investigation, and we have no wish to anticipate the verdict which may be given when the facts come to be thoroughly sifted. Mr. McMinn had unrestricted authority to act for the Government in all matters appertaining to the contract, and he has carried his powers to their utmost limit. The cancelling of the contract, although con templated as a remote contingency, was certainly never calculated upon as a thing likely to occur. Had it been thought even probable, common prudence would have dictated to the Government the necessity for a more minute supervision of the under taking than the contract provided for. They would not only have sent up officers to see that the work was carried out according to specification, but would have insisted upon being made acquainted with the contractors' plan of operations and the means proposed for carrying it into effect. Knowing as they did that a hitch such as has now happened would be fatal to the prospect of getting the telegraph com pleted before the end of the year, they would have watched step by step the pre parations made, and interposed had they seen reason to question their adequacy. People whose sagacity i3 always keenest after the event will blame them for not having done this; but seeing that they had to deal with well-known contractors whose sureties were understood to be unexception able, and seeing also the many evils likely to arise from a divided responsibility inrfegard to the details of construction, we cannot altogether endorse this view. Having resolved not to do the work themselves, the Government were compelled to leave much to the discretion of the contractors approved by them. But the very fact that so much confi dence was placed in Messrs. Darweat & Dal wood renders it all the more needful that Mr. McMinn should explain the preciss reasons for the extreme course he has thought proper to take. The public can fairly demand to know more about the annulment of the contract than that it was caused by the 'inefficient means' at the disposal of Messrs. Darwent & Dalwood, and the absence of all 'prospect of adequate rein forcements in order to its fulfilment within the specified period.' Before r they can forma correct judgment on the jnerite, they must not only Save a farther

statement from Mr. McMinn, but also one from Mr. Paqualin. The former has already been promised, and may probably be forth coming in time for the present mail. The latter may not be forthcoming until the proceedings at law, which it is said have been initiated for the recovery of the con tract money, have reached a more advanced stage. In the meanwhile Messrs. Darwent and Dalwood have, in a letter published below, in effect asked the public to suspend their decision for the present. The following is Mr. McMinn's official report upon the affairs of the Telegraph:— To the Superintendantof Telegraphs. Adelaide, July 8, 1871. Sir — I have the honour to report that in consequence of the inability of Messrs. Darwent and Dalwood to proceed with their contract for the construction of the Overland Telegraph from Port Darwin beyond the 3rd of May on account of inefficient means, and with no prospect of the arrival of adequate reinforce ments in order to fulfil the contract by the stipulated period, I declared the contract void on that date, and immediately took possession of the works, and the plant, stock, &c, belong ing to the contractor, in pursuance of the clauses contained ? in specifications authorizing such, action. The amount of work complete in all respects is 129 miles, in addition to which 96 miles of poles are erected, and the necessary clearing effected, or a total distance of 225 miles from Port Darwin. In consequence of this action I have thought it advisable to return to Adelaide personally, in order to properly re present the case, and with the view of obtaining the necessary supplies to enable the work being carried out on behalf of the Government, the latter being in my opinion the only means of this being satisfactorily accomplished. Out of the contractors' party 52 have returned per Gulnare, including three of their officers. Of this number .37 have been provided by me with passages, the contractors failing to make other arrangements on their behalf. The very limited means at my command for carrying on the work pre vented the profitable employment of a large party. I therefore considered it unadvisable to retain the latter, especially as they all showed a decided reluctance to remain at the Northern Territory. Many are m -ad. health, and a large . proportion are unsuitable for work of the nature required, and would be valueless as members of the party. I have engaged 27 of the contractors' hands, including Mr. Stephen King, jun., as Surveyor, which, added to the nomberofmy original party (with the exception of G. P. Deane, who has returned with me), and two of the members of the Port Darwin establishment since engaged, give a total of 36 in the party remaining at Port Darwin under the supervision of Mr. Burton. Until the arrival of reinforce ments or further arrangements are made by Government, the party will be employed in the fijring of the wire towards the present terminus of the work, in effecting the clearing of the line to an extra width to that provided in the specification where it traverses high timber by which it is endangered, in sinking wells through the dry country betwixt the Catherine and Roper Rivers (very favourable country in other respects for the construction of the line), in the work of transport by land and water, and other works of a useful charac ter which are considered necessary. The limited means at our disposal will prevent anything further being attempted. -Tao full transport power possible to be exercised at present, which includes my original stock, is nine bullock and horse teams, the very low condi tion of most of the horses transferred from the contractors to Government rendering them unfit for work for some months, whilst many are too aged and weak ever to be utilized. On SOth March, not having received any further orders from Adelaide later than the date of my leaving relative to meeting Mr. Ross, and until which date I had deferred the trip in anticipation of the arrival of the vessel expected with material, I complied with my original instruc tions, and proceeded to the Roper, where I arrived on April 4, and remained till the 11th, the exigencies of the work at that time demand ing my return without further delay. I did not, as I had expected, meet Mr. Ross, nor were any traces of his party discovered. 'Within a short distance of the position fixed for the rendezvous on the south bank of the river I erected a conspicuous mark on the point of a high range, which is easily distinguishable for several miles surroundiner, and cannot be overlooked by a party arriving from the south ward. Near this point I had the provisions in tended for Mr. Ross's party buried, and which I had previously taken the precaution of having hermetically sealed. With these I left a letter, containing directions where to meet my party, should his orders be to proceed on. At the date of my leaving Port Darwin, viz., June 6, no iiews had been received of Mr. Ross's arrival at Depot Creek, our furthest outpost at that time. Should sufficient horses be available without sericusly interfering with the prosecu tion of the work, Mr. Burton will proceed with the paity to the Roper, in order to explore a route for cartage from the intended crossing for the line, near the junction of the river and Elsey's Creek, to the head of navigation, as explored by Mr. MacLachlan, the distance between the two points being 86 miles direct. No difficulty is, however, anticipated in finding a good road. The navigableness of the Roper, by saving cartage, will materially facilitate the completion of the work by an early date should the vessels with reinforcements . be freighted thither. To indemnify the Government against any advance made to the contractors in respect of their ? shipment per Marie Elizabeth or other advances, and as a set-off to the expenses necessarily incurred in providing for the return of the members of their paity not required by me, I took possession of the stock, numbering 13 horses, all low in condition, the residue of the 20 shipped in Adelaide, and the goods which arrived for them by that vessel, and which were not on the ground at the date of the contract being closed. In reference to this, I may say that the statement telegraphed from Normanton by the contractors' agent relative to the quantity of work performed on the 8 th November, and being performed, and on account of which favourable news advances may have been granted to the contractors in Adelaide, is a misrepresentation, having been predated and prepared in the absence of the receipt of any information from the advanced construction party, at that time. ? , The Marie Elizabeth arrived at Port Darwin on May 8 after a protracted passage of 77 days. The whole of the cargo has been landed in good order, but deficient in the quantities advised of wire, insulators, and insulator pins. As some mistake may, however, have been caused during the confusion of landing cargo, I have ordered the materials to be restacked and re tallied, and should the stated defi ciency be confirmed, I have instructed Mr. Burton to render an account against the ship for the quantity short. I am of opinion, however, that the mistake if any has arisen at Port Adelaide during shipment, and is not attributable to the vessel. The delay in the arrival of the vessel caused me great anxiety, as I expected her not later than the middle of March, and feared some casualty had befallen her. Had the works been progressing satisfactorily the want of line materials would have greatly retarded operations, and might have seriously compromised the Government with the contractors. A large proportion of the wire remaining from the original shipment per Oineo has become so damaged through the neglect of the contractors that I do not consider it desir&ble'to stretch it, and will utilize the same as far on possible for lightning rods, kc. The log station building at Palmerston was completed and occupied in January last (photograph forwarded herewith.) In reference to the proposed buildings for the Government * and the British Australian Telegraph Company, I should recommend the purchase of several of the allotments in Palmerston contiguous to the landing-place as a site for the same, as being the probable business centre for many years to come. The portion of the Government Reserve in the vicinity remaining vacant is too limited for the erection of the necessary accommodation. In answer to the query contained in yours of February 20 as to my reasons for carrying the line via Southport, I have to inform you that it was with the object of securing the best route , in the first place, and also on account of beiog

reached by Messrs. Darwent & Dalwood't poling parties and the most northerly ex tremity of the central sections there are 420 or 430 miles of country to be bridged over. Mr. Woods, the chief officer of the interior parties, had instructions forwarded to him by Mr. Todd on Friday to organize a sufficient force to go north of Section E, planting as rapidly as possible enough poles to carry the wire, leaving the gaps to be filled in afterwards. Advertisements have been inserted in the Sydney papers for the purchase of 300 bullocks and 70 horses. We understand Mr. Todd purposes instructing Mr. G. McMinn, who has charge of Section B, to proceed northward and carry on the line from Section £. Mr. Knuckey, of Sectioa A, will finish both his and Mr. McMinn's sections, and in all probability Mr. Babbage will be directed to see to the erection of the stations along the line. Mr. Todd is doing all he can to expedite matters, and he is being energeti cally assisted by Mr. Patterson, who is com pleting his arrangements so as to leave by the first steamer sailing for Port Darwin. It has been decided also to engage what ever vessels are required to cany round material and plant for pushing forward operations. Two steamers, if they can be procured, are to be dispatched without loss of time, so as to ensure the speedy transport of men and stock. One of these at least will start from South Australia with whatever force of constructors it may be deemed necessary to send. All the stock required will of course be sent on from the eastern colonies, where bullocks and horses can be obtained much more quickly and cheaply than they could be here. The Bengal, with a supply of material, will start at once from Port Adelaide, carrying with her also Mr. Little, to take charge of the Port Darwin Station. The present Stationmaster at Palmerston is to proceed onward to the Roper, and Mr. Stapleton will accordingly accompany the construction parties, so as to maintain communication as the line proceeds. There is at present at Port Darwin battery power for a length of at least 400 miles, and any further appliances required will be forwarded by the earliest opportunity. The Gulnare will receive as quick dispatch as possible, carry ing with her material and stores/ By the Marie Elizabeth wire enough for Messrs. Darwent & Dalwood's contract was sent on, but to guard against contingencies, such as may arise from the necessarily hasty way in which the line will at first be erected, a few tens more are to be sent forward. To complete the 400 miles northward of Section E by the end of the year the wiring will have to proceed at the rate of four miles a day. There will be nearly 120 tons of wire insulators and pro visions to be carted, and to do this in time it is estimated that forty or fifty teams will be needed. Hence the necessity for dis patching a large quantity of stock, and a large number of wagons and drays. One base of operations will be established at the Roper, and thither stock and stores will be sent with all speed. The Government have conceived the emer gency to be so great that the Treasurer nimself proceeded on Tuesday, July 11, by steamer to Melbourne, so as personally to attend to the engagement of vessels, and for ward all needful arrangements. He was ac companied from Adelaide by Mr. R. D. Eoss, who will be entrusted with the sending out of stock and materials from the Eastern Colonies. It is probable that Mr. Hart will not proceed further than Mel bourne, and that he will therefore only be absent from Adelade for a few days. It has been definitely decided that Mr. R. C. Patterson shall have control of the tele graph works in the Northern Territory, and he is busily engaged in selecting his own party here. Mr. McMinn will also, it is believed, proceed to the Northern Territory, and his knowledge of the country will of course be of service in pushing forward the undertaking. He has already visited the Roper, and gained a tolerable acquaintance with the special difficulties to be contended with in the construction of the telegraph. The /Government are still in treaty for both steamers and sailing vessels to proceed at once to the territory. Mr. J. T. Turnbull is engaged in purchasing stores in the colony, to be sent on at the earliest opportunity. The Steam Launch.— It is rumoured that the expedition to the Northern Territory will be furnished with the steam launch which was recently constructed at Port Adelaide, and been found of great service in various ways. She would be desirable and efficient aid to the party, as in the waters of the Roper the craft would work admirably. The Central Sections. No information has been received this month from the five construction parties engaged upon the central -sections, , but had mattersnot been pro ceeding satisfactorily means of communicating with Adelaide would no doubt have been found. At the date of last advices Sections A and B were getting well on towards completion, and it is intended that the parties engaged upon them shall, as soon as convenient, pass on to assist in carrying out the more . northerly portions of the undertaking. The parties are all well provided with stores. The following is an extract from a letter written by a member of the Northern Telegraph Con struction Party, dated River Todd, MacDonnell Range, May 6, 1871 :— 'The natives have been close to our camp, but have not molested us as yet. They tried to burn the pole-cutters out of the place where their camp was. The blacks stole two axes which they had left at their work while they went to dinner. There was a musket, too ; they did not take that, but threw it on the ground. They must have been frightened at it. Three blacks came to the creek where I was, and held up their hands for us to come. We went towards them, and when within 20 feet they bade us stop and put our hands on the ground. They then ordered us to go to them, which we did. They did not know what to make of us; felt us all over, and thought that our clothes were our flesh. We took off our boots so that they should see our feet, but they could not make out the socks that we had on. One of them put a boot on bis foot and could not walk with it/ They are frightened of Ireaims, horses, and bullocks. The men are a3 fine a race of blacks as ever I have seen in any part of the world where I have been.' .'.-?? The Southern Section. This is being carried out by Mr. E. M. Bagot, and extends from Port Augusta to a point 70 or SO miles north of the Peake, covering in all a distance of over 500 miles. By the mail on Wednesday, June 28, the Postmaster-General received information that Mr. Bagot's contract was being proceeded with satisfactorily. Mr. B. H. Babbage, writing from Cecilia Creek, under date June 14, says:—' I have continued running and chaining the line, and it came out at .Storm Creek. I shall be at the Peake in two or three weeks' time with the line all laid out and chained. I make the north end of Bagot's contract to terminate at lat. 26° 46', being five and three-quarter miles south of the Hamilton, near its junction with the Stevenson. Between this camp and the telegraph line, three miles west, there is some fine timber. On May 23 and 29 I camped on the Wooldridge— a large creek running into the Allberger from the S.S. W. The telegraph line crosses this creek. On June 6 I camped at the Swallow Waterhole, about a quarter of a mile west of the line.' Mr. Blood, the storekeeper at the Peake Depot, writing on the 17th June, states that the ' mail for the interior sections left the Peake a fortnight since,' and that good lime for building pur poses has been found. Mr. Boucaut, the Sub Overseer, dates a letter from Humbum— wher- I ever that may be— and says the poles on Mr. I Bagot's contract are planted up to the Douglas

Creek, with everything progressing satisfac torily. By the Northern mail which arrived on Wed nesday, July 12— the latest mail for the current month— Mr. Todd received news from the Peake. Mr. Babbage, writing on the 30th June, states that he had laid out the whole of Mr. Bagot's contract for 514 miles. The health of the parties was excellent. He had been as far as lat 2o3 40', and was laying out the line as he returned. The flour in tins was being injured through some chemical action which was going on inside the packages. Mr. Boucaut, the sub-overseer of Mr. Bagot's construction party, wrote from Mount Margaret on July 3, and from his report it appears that the work was progressing rather slowly owing to the posts not arriving fast enough to keep the expeditions employed. Only 25 miles of poles had been erected during the last month, and there were yet 150 miles tf- be done, but it was expected that greater progress would be made during the ensuiDg month. A series of meteorological observations have been kept at the Peake from the commencement of its establishment as a depot, and irom these we gather that the highest temperature recorded in June was 85°, and the lowest 33°. The quantity of rain had fallen off very much, but there had been slight showers on April 15 and 16. From advices received by Mr. J. Roun sevell, we learn that 440 miles of poles had been erected when the news left, and that 150 miles had been wired. All the wire had reached its destination, and only needed fixing. Mr. Bagot's parties were opening a fresh piece of line every week, and had done over 50 miles S:r month. It is, he says, also reported that r. Babbage will be sent to the northern end of Section E, whence he is to take a number of wagons, which are now delivering their loads on the route, and make a flying survey of the liae tracking it as far as the Roper. CommunicatioE has now been made good between Port Augusta and Beltaua, a distance of 150 miles, and on Wednesday, July 12, messages were exchanged between Adelaide and the latter place. Mr. Johnston is the field operator accompanying the wiring party. In a few weeks more communication will be esta blished with the Peake. The tenders of Messrs. Reynolds & Lake have been accepted for the supply of building materials for stations on the overland line of telegraph — that for the Peake Station being £75 Is. lid., and for four interior stations £484 0s. ?8d. There were four other offers. The tender of Messrs. Carter & Pitman, at £3,467, for the erection of an electric telegraph office and officers' quarters at Port Darwin, has been accepted by the Government.